Stay
by Kennie Barton
Summary: After a short return to Manhattan, Percy is heading back to Camp Jupiter. Annabeth fights the urge to make him stay, and Percy fights the instinct that New York is where he really belongs. A three-part Percabeth story suggesting Percy's memories did not return during the Heroes of Olympus saga. Inspired by Brad Paisley's "I Wish You'd Stay" and "Stay" by Florida Georgia Line.
1. Chapter 1

"It was nice meeting all of you," he smiled holding his hand out to them. She looked pleadingly at the hand, trying not to let it show that her heart was shattering. It was amazing that such a simple action could cause her so much pain. Thankfully he did not notice her pained expression; it would have made this more difficult than it needed to be.  
Grover nodded at her side, taking the proffered hand firmly. He was much better at hiding the pain, but Percy had only been his best friend. The pain of losing him was nothing like the pain she was consumed by. "Yeah man, it was great," she could hear the hitch in his voice, the flicker in his eyes as he strained not to stare at the boy who had once been his best friend, but she saw these things only because she had known Grover for so long.  
Percy turned to her, his shirt peeking out from under his pullover, a purple shirt under a green jacket. Nothing about him was right, the only thing that remained where his eyes and even they were calming. His dark hair was cut short; he looked like a completely different person. She kept forgetting—he was now.  
He gave a small smile, one that failed to resemble the crooked grin he had flashed before. Her chest tightened, her breathing tried to fall to a ragged gasp. A stranger stood before now.  
"Maybe I'll see you around," he offered his hand again. Annabeth reached out for it slowly, forcing the urge to wrap her arms around him down to the pit of her stomach, fighting to contain a heaving sob and bury her face in his chest. This was not the same Percy, she could not hug him. She could not bury her face in his chest to take in the sweet scent of the ocean on shirt.  
"Yeah," she forced a smile at him, taking his hand lightly in her own. "Maybe I'll see you around," the words almost caught in her throat, she bit "Seaweed Brain" back. This was not her Seaweed Brain; this person might take insult to the nickname.  
As he pulled away, she thought she could see him debating to ask a question. He wanted to say something, she could sense it. But like her, he could not bring himself to speak. He shook his head, his jaw tightening as he turned to the Romans who had accompanied him to Manhattan.  
This had been a mistake. They should have just let him stay in San Francisco, this had only hurt him. The missing memories were tormenting him, and trying to force his old life on him was making this situation worse. Jason had just remembered, so Percy would eventually remember; right?  
He stopped a few feet away, turning once more to look at Annabeth and Grover. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. One of the Romans spoke quietly, Percy shook his head, was he remembering? Was the familiarity of home returning the lost parts of his identity? He shook his head and came back toward them, stopping directly in front of Annabeth.  
"I'm really sorry, I just don't remember you," his eyes held the same glitter as the old Percy. The part of him that drew her like a moth to flame.  
"It's okay," she lied, her forced smile growing for his sake.  
"I just feel like I let you down," he shook his head.  
"No," she wanted to reach up and caress his face, she stopped, clenching her fist at her side once more. "You could never let me down."  
"I just wish I could remember something," he clenched his jaw, staring at the ground between their feet. "I want to remember you."  
"You will," he looked up at her, his eyes pleading at he searched Annabeth's face. It was a look she knew all too well, it was almost her Percy again.  
"I'm sorry," he repeated after several moments staring into her stormy grey eyes. "I have to go." He turned away, hurrying down the busy street to where his Roman friends were waiting, watching them like thye expected Annabeth or Grover to attack Percy.  
Annabeth opened her mouth to speak, pushing her pleas up her throat. This was her last chance to tell him. He was leaving, going back to Camp Jupiter to be Roman. Her Percy was leaving, and there was a very real chance it was forever. She reached out to him, her fingers brushing the air inches away from his shoulder as he walked away.  
She could not. She loved him too much to put him through this. He had lost his memories; he did not remember her like she remembered him. Trying to force it was too cruel, for both of them. She pulled her hand back, clenching it at her side watching him walk away with the Romans.  
_I wish you the best. And I wish you nothing less, than everything you've ever dreamed of. I hope you find love along the way. But I really wish for you to stay._  
Grover laid his hand on her shoulder, trying to guide her from the street to the waiting van that would take them back to Camp Half-Blood. She turned from the retreating figure of her boyfriend. She sighed closing her eyes against the harsh reality—her ex-boyfriend.  
"Maybe he'll get his memories back," Grover offered quietly as they climbed in the white Camp van. "Jason got his memories back."  
She wanted to say she had thought of that. She wanted to tell him that if Percy was getting his memories back they would already have returned. She felt she needed to burst that delicate bubble of false hope, but she wanted to hold that false hope just as badly as Grover.  
"Maybe," she replied numbly, watching the buildings out the window of the van. Maybe he would come back to them. Maybe he would be the boy she remembered if they ever saw him again. Maybe he could find her and flash that mischievous grin with the playful green eyes that reminded her of the depths of the ocean.  
And maybe he would never return from Camp Jupiter. She pressed her forehead against the dark tinted window, closing her eyes once again. They were near his apartment building, where she had sat through a very awkward conversation with Percy's mother; he had forgotten her too, Sally was devastated.  
_I'll let go and try to be strong. I want you to be happy, to find everything you ever dreamed about, or will dream about. I hope you find happiness, but I really wish you would stay with us._  
"I just wish he stayed."

**A/N Did you enjoy this piece? Are you a fan of my writing style and are you hoping for more? Then review and check out my other works set in the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you enjoyed this you will not be disappointed by what you find in my various one shots featuring Percabeth and some of your favorite demigods.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Who would have thought there were actually still Greek heroes," Frank commented quietly as the bus rattled down the ancient two-lane highway out of New York City. "And they were hiding in Long Island."  
"Octavian's going to have a fit," Bobby, the other boy commented watching the trees fly by out the window. "Reyna won't have a choice but to fight them."  
"She will, but Octavian would never allow it," Frank responded shaking his head. "He'll read it in the stuffing that the Greeks are going to attack, and then say the Gods have predetermined a war like Troy."  
Bobby shook his head turning from the window, "what do you think, Percy?"  
Percy looked up from where he had been staring at the floor between his feet. What did he think? He had no idea. This whole thing was still hard for him to wrap his head around. And apparently he was Greek. That would explain the odd behavior of the _lares_ when he had first entered the Roman safe-haven carrying Hera—no, she was Juno. And that girl they had left, he could remember her name, her face, but nothing else.  
It had torn her apart; he could see it on her face when he had been talking to her and the satyr—fawn. Why did he keep doing that, he knew the terminology, he had been in Camp Jupiter for three months, he was a Preator after that insanely intense battle when he reclaimed the Legion's Eagle. He had thought his missing memories would return during that quest, but the missing parts of his life still eluded him.  
Even now, after meeting his mother, and seeing some of his Greek friends, he still knew nothing. And it bothered him. His whole life was gone for some reason. He wanted to remember, if anything he really wanted all the details back about that girl, Annabeth.  
"Earth to Percy," Bobby waved his hand in front of Percy's face. "Dude, a response would be nice. I'll even accept a non-comitial shrug," a smile covered Bobby's face, his eyes flashing in laughter.  
Percy forced a smile at the boy across from him, "I was just thinking."  
"About that girl?" Frank leaned in closer as he asked, like it was some kind of secret.  
"I would," Bobby's smile grew. "That girl was Fine."  
"She's Greek Bobby," Frank whispered, leveling a stern glare at the younger demigod.  
"That doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good looking woman when I see her. Greek or Roman, the gods were very kind to her," Bobby nodded happily, sitting back and folding his arms over his chest.  
_Except they really aren't_, Percy thought, remembering her stormy grey eyes that looked close to tears when he had left Manhattan. _The gods have been overly cruel to her. And me,_ he added with a heavy sigh.  
"Dude, you need to cheer up," Bobby leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees looking at Percy. "You're supposed to be in New Rome, that's why Juno sent you to us."  
"According to that fawn, she took Jason away from us too," Frank scratched the back of his head, looking out the window.  
"You can't trust a fawn," Bobby shook his head. "Everyone knows they're a bunch of liars and scam artists."  
"Grover's not like that," he might not remember the satyr—fawn!—but he knew deep down that Grover was not like what Bobby was saying. And if what Annabeth had said was true, that fawn had once been his best friend. "He wouldn't lie to us."  
"Then why wasn't Jason there?" Bobby cocked a brow at Percy, feeling he had trapped Percy with this line that Jason was alive in the Greek camp.  
"They just wanted to see Percy," Frank defended quickly, seeing how difficult this was for Percy to talk about. "And we didn't ask to see Jason."  
"Because Jason's dead," Bobby stated flatly. "He's been gone for almost a year. He would have contacted someone by now if he was alive."  
"Unless the gods took his memories too," Percy breathed pressing his forehead against the window of the bus. "Then he wouldn't remember Camp Jupiter, like I don't remember the Greek Camp."  
_I'm sorry for the way I hurt when I just walked away. If I could remember I would be back for good. The look in your eyes makes me want to stay._  
"Why would the gods do that?" he asks that boy who had his memories taken from him. Bobby was oblivious, Frank covered his eyes and sighed.  
"I wish I knew," Percy's head fell again, his eyes returning to the carpeted floor between his feet.  
"Right," Bobby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking out the window again. "Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it," Percy folded his hands between his knees, staring at the calloused knuckles. Had he built those calluses training with the Greeks on Long Island? He had always had them, well he had had them for the three months worth of memories he had. Had he trained with Annabeth? "It doesn't matter, anymore."  
Percy had hoped visiting Manhattan would bring back some of his memories. At least enough of them to let him know what he had done before waking up in the Wolf House with Lupa. It seemed this whole trip had been pointless; it had only hurt a girl who was already in pain.  
"Of course it does, those are your memories," Frank tried to console. But it was only making things worse.  
"No, I belong in New Rome now. I don't want to feel conflicted about it." Except he was, because of a grey-eyed girl who had cried when she saw him, and a mother who had lost a son who could stand right in front of her, and not remember her.  
_All I want is to tell you I love you and that I want to stay. Going on like this is tearing me apart. If I could remember I'd come back home to stay. I'm sorry for the way I hurt you when I just walked away. Just know the look in your eyes makes me want to stay.  
_The gods really were cruel.

**A/N Did you enjoy this piece? Are you a fan of my writing style and are you hoping for more? Then review and check out my other works set in the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you enjoyed this you will not be disappointed by what you find in my various one shots featuring Percabeth and some of your favorite demigods.**


	3. Chapter 3

Lightning flashed across the night sky. The thunder rumbled around the borders of New Rome and Camp Jupiter, magic keeping the brunt of the storm at bay. The small bed room was illuminated with the pale light of the lightning, and the sole occupant sat up in a cold sweat.  
He remembered!  
Gods, how could he have ever forgotten? He threw his blankets aside, his bare feet hitting the floorboards at an almost run. He had to go, he had to pack, he had to tell someone—there was so much to do, he had no idea where to start. He threw the door of his room open, entering the dark living room as lightning flashed again.  
He fumbled with the locks on the door, his excitement hindering his ability to control his hands. Gods, it was all there! Everything he had forgotten, all the people he had seen in New York, he knew who they were. He could remember, and he was ready to go.  
The hallway of his apartment building was dimly lit, he had walked it enough, he could have navigated that hall in complete darkness. And he ran, he ran the length of the hall as fast as he could, throwing open the door to the stairwell. He had to go, he had to find a way home. His real home, Camp Half-Blood.  
Some of the Legion were on the streets, walking quickly to find shelter before the rain arrived. He passed them heading for the River and the tunnel. He had to find a phone, get a bus ticket, convince Hades to allow him passage through the Underworld, locate a satyr or a nymph, some form of Wild that would allow him to contact Grover, he could go to Dr. Chase's; he had to get out of Camp Jupiter. He ran down the dim streets, his bare chest heaving with labored breathing after the sudden return of his memories.  
Gods, all those memories, the adventures… How could he have forgotten all of that? Why would someone take those memories from him? What purpose could Hera have for the removal of precious memories? He shook his head, dislodging the thoughts. He had the memories back now, he could figure out the reasons later. All that mattered was finding a way back to New York.  
Percy entered the waters of the river, his strength returning as he continued to run, his mind still processing how he was going to get back to Long Island. Did he have the money for a bus ticket, a train ticket? Did he even have money to call his mother and tell her he was coming home?  
He still remembered the tears in her eyes that day, almost a month ago when he had seen her. When he had said he did not remember her. He had to tell her he was sorry, that he was coming home. He had to tell her he was coming home to stay.  
Frank was guarding the entrance of the tunnel, opening out into the real world, just as he had been that day when he first arrived. It seemed like so long ago that Percy had carried Hera into Camp Jupiter, the gorgons hot on his heels. Now he was running out like the gorgons were after him again.  
"Percy!" Frank shouted, reaching out to catch the Praetor before he ran out in the middle of the interstate. "What's going on? Are we under attack?"  
"No," Percy half laughed pulling free of Frank's loose grip. "Everything's perfect!"  
"Where are you going?" Frank shouted as Percy, barefooted and shirtless, ran out onto the pavement, toward the bay.  
"Home! Percy shouted over his shoulder, reveling in the downpour and the return of his memories.

Annabeth sighed, sinking down on the steps of her cabin. Four hours in the arena was entirely too long for a single session, her arms burned from wielding a sword. Malcolm had convinced her it was be a good idea to at least be able to properly brandish a sword incase she ever needed to. It was the need for her to occupy her mind that had allowed that to happen, not a fear that the time would come she could not use her knife.  
She wrinkled her face, stretching her arm and massaging the stiff muscles gently. She was going to kill Malcolm the very first chance she got; he had been the one to tell the Ares campers to keep her in the arena for four hours. What she wouldn't give for a good back massage, and an excuse to leave camp for a while again.  
Her last trip from camp had been her heart shattering meeting with Percy. She sighed, her index finger finding a particularly sore point; she would rather forget that encounter. It still hurt to think about. Percy had forgotten her, all their quests, all that time together; it was like a part of her was literally missing with his memories.  
Annabeth closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. _Don't think about it,_ she reminded herself sternly. _Thinking about only makes it worse._ But she could never stop herself, not really.  
What she would give to have Percy back, she sighed leaning back against the frame of the Athena cabin. What would she give to have that Kelp-for-Brains back? _Just about anything,_ she admitted to herself tiredly.  
"Hey! Annabeth!"  
She opened her eyes slowly to see who was shouting at her. Why would anyone need to shout at her? What was wrong with engaging in conversation when they were close enough that shouting was no long necessary?  
It was Lacey, a child of Aphrodite, her blonde pigtails bouncing as she charged toward the cabins from the Big House. Annabeth took a deep breath and pushed herself up from the steps. Whatever Lacey needed, Annabeth knew it would require her to get up.  
"Annabeth," Lacey gasped, coming to a stop in front of her. "Up, at—at Thalia's tree—you won't believe—you won't—who's up there." Lacey stood with her hands resting on her knees, gasping for breath as if she had run from Thalia's tree all the way to the cabins, which she might have.  
"Who's on Half-Blood Hill?" Annabeth asked, wondering if someone had returned from a quest. Or maybe a new demigod had found their way to the hero camp.  
"It's—it's," the girl shook her head, still trying to catch her breath. Apparently she had already said everything she could after the run. "It's him," the wheezed looking up at Annabeth, the ghost of a smile pulling at her lips. "He's back."  
Annabeth felt her heart jump into her throat, hammering in double time. She tore her eyes from Lacey, looking toward the Big House, past the sky blue farm house to Half-Blood Hill. She could see the tree silhouetted, the massive dragon snoring during his afternoon nap. But coming down the hill, Chiron was out there with someone. There was only one "he" in the whole world that anyone would run across camp to tell Annabeth about.  
She ran from the cabins, leaving the young camper to catch her breath. As she came closer she could see him. His dark hair, just starting to grow out of a buzz cut, tousled in the warm summer air. His green eyes sparkling as they scanned the camp, looking for her—she knew he was looking for her.  
Annabeth slammed into Percy, her arms wrapping around his waist, her face buried in his shirt. She felt his arms wrap around her, she breathed in the deep scent of the ocean that clung to Percy, feeling the tears running down her cheeks.  
"Don't tell me this is just another visit," she whispered into his chest.  
Percy lifter her head up so she was looking in his eyes, those mischievous eyes she remembered so well. He bent down and kissed her, taking her breath away, and making her go limp. "This time," he smiled hugging her tightly, "I thought I'd stay."

**A/N Did you enjoy this piece? Are you a fan of my writing style and are you hoping for more? Then review and check out my other works set in the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you enjoyed this you will not be disappointed by what you find in my various one shots featuring Percabeth and some of your favorite demigods.**


End file.
